Can God use the Bad guys? Unpacking Ezra to find out
- Thad DeBuhr
- Sep 9
- 7 min read
Ezra 1:1-4
The Main Message: God can use anyone—even a pagan king who doesn't know Him—to fulfill His promises and accomplish His plans for His people. This passage shows us that God is in control of history and can work through unexpected people and circumstances to bring about His will.
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Ezra 1: When God Uses the Bad Guys
Feeling like the world's spinning out of control? Like the systems and leaders in power are working against everything you hold dear? It's easy to feel hopeless, but what if God's at work in the unlikeliest of places? What if He's using people and circumstances you would never expect to fulfill His purposes?
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From Babylonian Captivity to Persian Freedom
To truly appreciate Ezra 1:1-4, we must first understand the dire situation of the Jewish people. For nearly 70 years, they were in exile in Babylon, a consequence of their disobedience and idolatry. The prophets had warned them, but they hadn't listened. Now, they were captives in a foreign land, their glorious temple destroyed and their city, Jerusalem, a ruin. For a people whose identity was so intertwined with their land and temple, this was a devastating blow. They were a shattered remnant, living as a minority in a powerful pagan empire.
The passage opens with a monumental event: the rise of a new world power, the Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great. In 539 BC, Cyrus conquered Babylon, famously diverting the Euphrates River to march his army into the city. With this victory, the Babylonian Empire, which had held the Jews captive, was no more. This historical reality sets the stage for God's divine intervention.
The decree Cyrus issues in Ezra 1:2-4 is a direct and precise fulfillment of prophecy. The prophet Jeremiah had foretold this exact period of exile, stating the people would serve the king of Babylon for 70 years before God would bring them back (Jeremiah 29:10-14). The fact that a pagan king, completely unaware of Jeremiah's prophecy, would issue a decree that precisely aligns with God's timeline is a powerful testimony to God's sovereignty over history and nations.
The Cyrus Cylinder: A Monumental Discovery
In 1879, a British-Assyrian archaeologist named Hormuzd Rassam made a discovery in the ruins of Babylon that would provide incredible extra-biblical support for the book of Ezra: the Cyrus Cylinder. This small, clay artifact, shaped like a barrel, is inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform and details Cyrus's conquest of Babylon and his policies.
The cylinder confirms that Cyrus had a specific policy of allowing conquered peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples and religious artifacts. This wasn't a unique favor to the Jews; it was part of a broader political strategy by Cyrus to win the loyalty of his subjects. He understood that by restoring their gods and temples, he could gain their trust and ensure stability in his vast empire.
The Cyrus Cylinder is significant for several reasons:
Historical Validation: It provides a non-biblical source that corroborates the biblical account in Ezra 1. It proves that a king named Cyrus did indeed conquer Babylon and had a policy consistent with the biblical narrative.
Theological Proof: It demonstrates that God can use secular and even pagan means to achieve His divine purposes. Cyrus's political motives were his own, but God used them to fulfill His promise to His people.
A Model of Leadership: The policies of religious tolerance and respect for conquered peoples outlined in the Cyrus Cylinder resonated through history. Cyrus became a model of the ideal ruler, even to his Greek rivals. The Greek soldier and historian Xenophon, who lived a century after Cyrus, wrote an extensive, partly fictional biography called the Cyropaedia (The Education of Cyrus). In this book, Xenophon used Cyrus as a paradigm for the ideal, just monarch. The Cyropaedia was not a dry history; it was a manual on leadership, education, and statesmanship.
Influence on America's Founding Fathers: The books of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers were required reading for many educated men in 18th-century America. The Cyropaedia was among these key texts. American founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams owned and studied copies of Xenophon's work. Jefferson, in particular, had two copies and advised his grandson to read the Cyropaedia to master the Greek language and learn about good governance. The principles of religious freedom, rule of law, and respect for diversity that Cyrus modeled and Xenophon chronicled were powerful ideas that helped influence the founding documents and ideals of the United States.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH THIS VIDEO - SO SO GOOD
BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST THAT GOES DEEPER INTO THIS SECTION OF EZRA
See viewer comments and questions on screen at the end of the podcast.
Questions to Chew on and Discuss
Given that the Cyrus Cylinder confirms Cyrus's policy was part of a larger political strategy, how does that affect your understanding of God's sovereignty? Does it diminish God's power, or does it show that He can orchestrate human events, even selfish ones, for His purposes?
Imagine you were an Israelite living in Babylon. For 70 years, you've heard stories of your homeland, but it's a place you've never seen. How would hearing this decree from a foreign king impact your faith and hope?
Ezra 1:1 says "the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus." What does this phrase reveal about God's interaction with human leaders, even those who don't know Him?
Journey Group Discussion Starter
Think about a time when you were in a situation that felt hopeless or out of your control. Perhaps it was a difficult relationship, a bad job, or a long-term struggle. Share with your group how God surprised you in that situation. Did He use an unlikely person or an unexpected event to bring about change? This will help us start to see how the principles of God's sovereignty in Ezra's time can be seen in our own lives today.
Applying it Today
This passage is a powerful testament to the trustworthiness and reliability of the Bible. The fact that an ancient historical document like the Cyrus Cylinder supports the biblical account in Ezra gives us great confidence. When we see such precision in historical details, it helps us believe that the spiritual truths are also accurate and reliable. This foundational trust in God's Word allows us to lean on it with greater confidence and comfort, knowing that what we learn isn't just a good story, but a historical and divine reality.
So, how can we apply this? We've learned that God is sovereign over all leaders and events, even when things seem to be going wrong. We might apply this in our lives by:
Praying for leaders, even those we strongly disagree with, knowing God has the power to "stir up their spirit" for His purposes (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Trusting in God's plan when our own plans fall apart. Perhaps a job rejection, a failed relationship, or a personal setback isn't a final defeat but a redirection by God toward something better, just as the exile was for Israel.
Seeing God's hand in the everyday, mundane, and even frustrating aspects of life. That traffic jam might be preventing you from an accident. That difficult conversation might be an opportunity for God to show you a new level of patience or grace.
This passage challenges us to live with open eyes, looking for God's work in the seemingly ordinary and chaotic. What is your next step? To Pray for an elected official? To Forgive someone, trusting God to work in their heart? To Connect with someone from a completely different worldview, believing God can use you to be a light to them?
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